Health-related quality of life and utility of maternity health states amongst post-partum Australians.

Background: This study aimed to measure patient-reported health-related quality of life amongst post-partum women in Queensland, Australia.

Methods: Patient-reported health-related quality of life data was prospectively collected from 134 post-partum women using the EQ-5D-5L at weekly intervals during the first six weeks following birth. Data across the five health domains of the EQ-5D-5L was converted to a single health utility value to represent overall health status.

Comparison of seasonal serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations among pregnant women in Mongolia and Boston.

Adequate vitamin D status during pregnancy is important for developing fetal bone strength and density and may play a role in preventing a range of skeletal and non-skeletal diseases in both mothers and children. We previously identified Mongolian women of reproductive age to have the lowest vitamin D levels yet observed in any population globally, which renders this population uniquely important in vitamin D research. In this study, we measured the seasonal distribution of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration in 390 healthy third trimester pregnant women living in urban and rural Mongolia using DiaSorin LIAISON and compared this distribution to that of 206 third trimester women living in Boston, USA.

Telemedicine support of maternal and newborn health to remote provinces of Mongolia.

The telemedicine approach is a very much relevant and effective strategy for the Mongolian context of a huge geographical area with a sparse population and huge disparities in quality and access to health services. Through this initiative, it was possible to strengthen the capacity of service providers to provide timely and appropriate care, especially to mothers with pregnancy and childbirth complications. All the way through this network, health staff had easy access to information and support from experts; this improved access to knowledge is a positive benefit of the program.